Troubleshooting Text File Uploads

In the HPMS, in the DIR module, there are a number of places that Sponsors are required to upload a tab-delimited text file. The files are validated against a set of rules, and if successful the data are unloaded into the HPMS database. Sometimes creating a valid tab-delimited text file can be a challenge. This document provides some tips for troubleshooting some common issues.

Common ways errors are introduced

Before beginning, be aware of the methods that commonly introduce errors. 1. Using an incorrect template is a common issue. Users should always download a current template from the HPMS before they begin. Templates change from year to year and are unique for each year. Creating a template rather than downloading the official template can introduce unknown issues. For Response Tables, entering data into the blank template instead of using the partially pre- populated version (available from Download Response Table Templates) introduces more risk.

2. Using word editors (e.g., Microsoft Word) to build a data file that is then copied into the excel template, or directly into a text file. Word editors use imbedded formatting and they can introduce characters or other formatting that is not supported. If possible, data should be entered directly into template rather than via copy and paste.

3. Saving as an incorrect type of text file. Only tab-delimited, PC format, ANSI encoded files are supported. Other types of text files are NOT supported (e.g., Unicode, MAC, binary, etc.) a. You can check the type and format by opening your file in your text editor (e.g., TextPad, Notepad,etc.) the select File > Save As. The dialog box should show you the Encoding type and possibly the file format.

4. Converting the Excel (or other data file) to a text file by simply changing the file extension to .txt. This creates corrupted files. a. The steps for saving an excel file as tab-delimited text are: i. Open the file in Excel. From the Excel menu, choose File > Save As. ii. In the pop-up dialog box, locate the "Save as Type" select list and choose "Text (Tab Delimited) (*.txt)." (Note: do NOT save as UTF-8, Unicode, Binary, extended ASCII, Text (Macintosh), or Text (MS-DOS). iii. Specify the save location and file title (optional) and save the file. If Excel provides a message saying that some of the features are incompatible with Text files, say "Yes" to continue the save. iv. Close the file. If prompted say Yes again to save changes and Yes again to the incompatible features warning.

Text editors

Locate the text file you uploaded and use a text editor to open it. 1. Text editors are programs like TextPad, Notepad, Wordpad. 2. Enhanced text editors (such as TextPad) are the most helpful, as they show line numbers and formatting (e.g., tabs and spaces).

Reviewing the file

Examine the file for common issues.

Troubleshooting Text File Uploads Last Updated: 5/22/18 Page 1 of 2 1. Carefully check the first row (i.e., the column titles row) in the tab-delimited text file. Verify that: a. All column names exactly match the template, in the correct order. b. There are no extra spaces in or around the column names. c. Column titles are separated by tabs, not spaces. d. There are no extra tabs in the header row. e. It may be easiest to replace the existing header row with one that is copy and pasted from a known “good” source (e.g., from the original template downloaded from the HPMS, from the correct contract year.) Or, download a fresh template from HPMS (with the clean header row) and copy and paste your data into it.

2. Carefully examine the data rows for issues. Start with any specific rows that were noted in the rejection email. Things to verify: a. Data intended for one row should not wrap to a second line. i. This is common for larger text fields when data was pasted into the template from Microsoft Word. ii. This is best viewed with an enhanced text editor that shows line numbers. b. There are no extremely long data rows, or one without any tabs. c. There are no extra tabs within a row. d. There are no trailing spaces at the end of a row or within one the fields in a row. i. A “blank” field may actually be a series of spaces. e. There are no extra blank rows at the end of the file. f. There are no unsupported (i.e., non ASCII) characters in the text.

Additional assistance

If your organization is still having problems getting your file accepted once you have tried the above steps, please email the HPMS helpdesk for assistance ([email protected]). The email should include the exact attachment you are trying to upload. (i.e. the zip file or tab-delimited text file.)

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